Hena Ahmed/Kolkata

Hamed Aziz Safwi of Kolkata seeks to change the lives of many in Uluberia, an industrial town in Howrah, West Bengal and beyond through his coaching institute where he provides all support to those willing to sit in the competitive examinations for admission in professional courses, but can't afford the expensive fee.

Two years ago, Safwi established the Haider Aziz Safwi Career Development Centre, on the death anniversary of his father Haider Aziz Safwi, bureaucrat turned political who served as  MLA for nearly 7.5 years.

“In 2011, my father contested the Assembly Election and started his strong bond with the community. As an MLA, he interacted with people daily, and I used to accompany him since I was 11 years old.

Hamed Aziz Safwi with students

“When re-elected in 2016, he became a revered figure, with a park and statue now bearing his name.” He passed away in 2018 and is remembered fondly by people.

Safwi, an economics graduate from St. Xavier University, Kolkata says that he is happy that today, the center (in his father’s name) can serve 600 students, while the e-Shiksha Centre caters to 80, and another section 40 students.

The center is located within the premises of the Taj Mahal Library in Uluberia—a location dear to his father. The Library is a subsidiary of the Taj Mahal Gram Vikas Kendra.

Hamed Aziz Safwi gifting laptops to students

The library, initially founded with the help of friends and locals, provides expensive books and resources free of cost to students preparing for exams like IIT-JEE, NEET, CAT, etc. This initiative is useful for locals for whom such resources can be prohibitively expensive.

Uluberia has a sizeable Muslim population and a majority of them can ill afford expensive coaching for prestigious examinations for professional colleges and hence the youth don't even dare to dream big.

Hamed Safwi set up his e-Shiksha Centre (digital learning center) to give students access to laptops, the internet, and virtual coaching, enabling them to pursue their education.

Hamed Aziz Safwi speaking at a function 

Safwi said, "Access to books was the first step and to truly enhance the learning opportunities for the youth of Uluberia I introduced the e-Shiksha Centre, or digital learning center for better access to the digital world.”

Last year, he opened two digital literacy centers to bridge the digital divide in the community. These centers offer online classes and assistance, especially form-filling, particularly for those who struggle with technology. He felt the need for such a platform during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

One center runs in collaboration with local club members and another in with the Hart Memorial Primary School.

Safwi said, "Locals are encouraged to come and learn, using the space to fill out forms or attend classes in their spare time. The community has been instrumental in these efforts, donating books, old laptops, and even stools to help fund and sustain these initiatives. The initiative is being run on Zero Cash policy here, we focus on providing resources rather than cash and are mostly funded by me."

Hamed Aziz Safwi

 "The e-Shiksha Centre provides essential resources to students who face financial hardships. It offers services to a maximum of 30 students per day, many of whom come from distant areas. For these students, the center serves as a crucial lifeline, offering take-home resources and digital access they otherwise couldn't afford. Additionally, the center remains open from 10 am till 4 pm,” said local coordinator S K Faruk.

With support from Prof. Souvik Mukherjee of St. Xavier's University, Hamed Safwi is determined to expand his reach to as many students as possible. "Together, we are working on plans to serve the educational needs of the community, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to access quality resources and support for their academic growth," he said.

Nargis Parvin from Raghudebbati Mufty Para, Howrah, who works as a field facilitator at Nari o Shishu Kalyan Kendra on the Right to Food project the story is different.

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She says, “Whenever I have free time, I visit the Haider Aziz Safwi Career Development Centre to read detective books by Satyajit Ray. These stories help shape my perspective on life.”